7 Stages Of Winter Break For A College Student

Winter break is a joyous time to relax, de-stress, and watch an abundance of Netflix. Although winter break is a great way to catch up on all the much needed sleep you've missed throughout the semester, it also tends to lose it's charm after a while of being stuck at home. There are many stages to winter break, and they can happen in any order.

1. Enjoying the pure bliss of lying around and doing nothing for the first time in months.

2. Starting to feel somewhat lazy, but reminding yourself that you deserve it.

3. Boredom begins to set in and you realize that having absolutely nothing to do for weeks is actually pretty sad.

4. Your family starts to drive you insane and you begin to miss living at school with all your friends.

5. You blow through entire shows on Netflix and start to leave a butt imprint behind on the couch.

6. Even though you’ve been pretty bored and lazy for weeks, somehow it’s almost over and you realize you never want it to end.

7. Winter break finally comes to an end, and the stress of classes makes you wish you had cherished those weeks of no responsibility a lot more.

College As Told By Junie B. Jones

The Junie B. Jones series was a big part of my childhood. They were the first chapter books I ever read. On car trips, my mother would entertain my sister and me by purchasing a new Junie B. Jones book and reading it to us. My favorite part about the books then, and still, are how funny they are. Junie B. takes things very literally, and her (mis)adventures are hilarious. A lot of children's authors tend to write for children and parents in their books to keep the attention of both parties. Barbara Park, the author of the Junie B. Jones series, did just that. This is why many things Junie B. said in Kindergarten could be applied to her experiences in college, as shown here.

When Junie B. introduces herself hundreds of times during orientation week:

“My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice. Except I don't like Beatrice. I just like B and that's all." (Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, p. 1)

When she goes to her first college career fair:

"Yeah, only guess what? I never even heard of that dumb word careers before. And so I won't know what the heck we're talking about." (Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth, p. 2)

When she thinks people in class are gossiping about her:

“They whispered to each other for a real long time. Also, they kept looking at me. And they wouldn't even stop." (Junie B., First Grader Boss of Lunch, p. 66)

When someone asks her about the library:

“It's where the books are. And guess what? Books are my very favorite things in the whole world!" (Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, p. 27)

When she doesn't know what she's eating at the caf:

“I peeked inside the bread. I stared and stared for a real long time. 'Cause I didn't actually recognize the meat, that's why. Finally, I ate it anyway. It was tasty...whatever it was." (Junie B., First Grader Boss of Lunch, p. 66)

The Summer To-Do List For The Girl Who Doesn't Want To Be Bored

It's been a day and a half since I moved out of my dorm at Rutgers (sweet ole Tinsley) and back to my room at home. Now, I think that it is safe to say that my schedule totally different. But, I've made it my goal to keep as busy and active as I was during both semesters. But, how exactly am I going to do that? I've got a couple of ideas in mind and here they are.

1. Getting my first-ish job

For the past couple of summers, my parents have been pushing me to get a job and make some money. However, as much as I've tried, I could never find a place that would hire me. One summer, I applied for a position at Barnes and Noble and that same day I was interviewed over the phone. By the end of that phone call, they decided that I did not have enough experience and time to be considered for the position. First of all, I could put in as much time as possible since it was supposed to be a seasonal job and second, how am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me?! Honestly, the nerve of some people. This summer is a little different though since I've already applied and have been granted an interview with a store at my local mall. I'm very excited and considering the "hiring, help wanted" signs I've seen posted, I think I'm a shoo-in for the job.

Although, I guess you're wondering why I'm not exactly sure if this is my first job. Well, the reason for that is that I've recently been hired to work at the computer labs at Rutgers! Even though I haven't worked an official shift, orientation has come and gone and this summer I will be driving back up to Rutgers in order to complete my training. So, that's another way I'll be staying busy.

2. Spending time with my hometown friends

With all of the friends I've made headed back to their homes hours away from me, I'll be spending time with my family and the forever friends I made in high school. I'm excited to see five of my closest friends and all of the plans we have lined up for ourselves. Although we all have our own things going on, like summer classes and family trips, we've already made the promise to each other to spend as much time together as possible. From the beach to sushi dates, the possibilities for our summer together are endless. I cannot wait for all the memories we're going to make, especially if they're just as amazing, if not more than, the ones we already have.

3. Reading... and more reading

Growing up, I was an avid reader and could never be found without a book in hand. I lived for going to the library and bookstores, absolutely loving everything. But, as time went on and school got harder, my love for reading fell the tiniest bit short. It became something that I had to do for school rather than something I enjoyed. But, I've made it my goal to do just that, to actually enjoy reading and find my love for it again. Whether I finish one book or twelve, I want to know that I read for my own personal enjoyment and happiness and not for school. There are a couple of books that I've got my eye on and am looking forward to reading so I think I'll be good to go for this goal. But, if you have any suggestions let me know!

It doesn't seem like a lot, but I promise I also have some other bits and pieces planned. And although these probably won't keep me busy in the same way I was at Rutgers, I know that at least I won't be bored. I don't want to return to school and say that I wasted my summer, sitting on the couch or laying in my bed and watching Netflix.